A group of B.C. health-care professionals has issued a warning about the threats posed by unproven treatments and medications for COVID-19.
Contrary to information spreading on social media, a proven treatment for COVID-19 does not exist, says a joint statement from College of Pharmacists of BC, College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC, and BC College of Nursing Professionals.
They also warn against the use of unproven therapies for COVID-19, such as hydroxychloroquine, chloroquine, azithromycin, lopinavir/ritonavir, and colchicine.
They go on to say a surge in interest in unproven COVID-19 treatments could lead to a shortage of drugs that could be used to help patients with other conditions.
“It is important to understand that there are potential harms to the patient, risks to our understanding of what is truly a beneficial treatment or not, and depleting access to therapies known to be helpful or essential in other disease states,” the statement said.
Physicians and nurse practitioners are asked not to prescribe such therapies for COVID-19 outside the context of a clinical trial, and pharmacists should not dispense them if they do.
Canada is one of several countries taking part in a massive trial to test possible new coronavirus treatments involving drugs that are already in use for other illnesses like HIV, ebola and malaria.